Parachute



March 19, 1929. I DE wrr 1,705,909

PARACHUTE Filed Aug. 10, 1927 INVENTOR. Jennings Be )(l ff'.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES JENNINGS DE win, or NEW YORK, 11. Y.

PARACHUTE.

Application filed August 10, 1927. Serial No. 211,876.

This invention relates to improvements in parachutes.

In effecting an emergency landing from an aerial body, by parachutejumping, it is neces- I sary to make this first part of the leap withoutattempting to open the parachute, so that the parachute shall not beentangled in the struts or fuselage of the air craft from which thelanding is being made. Accordingly, the practice is to count off apredetermined time interval..before pulling the ring which releases theparachute. for opening. At the end of this measured time interval thepersons body is falling through space at a 1 constantly acceleratingspeed, and a failure of the parachute reliably to respond meanspractically certain death. The causes of failure to respond areprincipally due to the folds in which the parachute material have beenpacked in order that it may be carried on the air craft, and to failureof atmospheric medium to secure entry into these folds to effect theopening of the device.

It is one important object of the invention to provide an improvedconstruction of the edging of the parachute, to expedite entry of airinto the folds.

According to this feature the edges are formed of a material relativelyless flexible than the material of the intermediate portion of thesustaining area of the parachute, and are crinkled or crimped so as toprovide conducting passageways for atmospheric medium.

Another important object of the invention relates to the provision of aplurality of superposed sustaining areas, having folds which registerwith each other respectively, thus reducing the number of folds requiredwith a 'ven area of sustaining surface. As is evident from theforegoing, a reduction in the number of folds reduces correspondinglythe danger of the parachute failing to open.

Other objects will appear from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of a parachute embodying features of the invention, in fullyopen position:

Fig. 2 is a view of the parachute at the commencement of opening:

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 and:

Fig. 4 is an enlar ed view of a portion of the border of one o thesustaining members of Fig. 1.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures ofthe drawing.

In the following description and claims, parts of characteristicfeatures and functions will be identified by specific means forconvenience of expression, but they are intended to be as generic intheir application to similar parts or equivalent construction as the artwill permit.

Referring to the drawings there is provided a plurality of super osedsustaining sheets, shown three in numl fer as at 10, 11, 12. In theillustrated embodiment the upper sheet 10 is shown larger than the lowersheets, 11, 12, but it is understood that they may be interchanged intheir relative positions or that a greater number may may be usedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. The mid portion ofeach sheet; as at 13, 14 respectivel is formed of a good grade of silkof soft ne texture. border 15 formed of a material relatively lessflexible such as binding tape or the like is secured to the body of therespective sheet as by be employed or that two a stitching 15 and iscrinkled, crimpled or fluted. There is conducting passageways suchthrough which air,can enter.

The parachute is folded so that the lower sheet or sheets are enfoldedwithin the upper sheets. The folds of each sheet registering with thefolds of the adjacent sheet (see Fi 3). The border 15 is suflicientlyinflexible to hold its crinkled form under the pressure of compactfolding.

The parachute includes a usual harness indicated diagrammatically at 20and suspension ropes such as 21, 21 extending therefrom to spaced pointson the peripheries of the sustaining sheets. Preferably, in order thusformed a plurality of as 17, 18

to secure greater strength each rope extends to the termination of aradial seam 22. In the illustrated embodiment the relative sizes of the"sheets are such that in the open position the ropes extend in a straightline as indicated in Fig. 1. A usual release ring 23 serves to releasethe parachute for opening, in a conventional manner.

In operation, the operator who isto make a parachute jump, strapshimself in the harness '20 and leaps. After counting off a predeterminedtime interval he pulls the ring 23. This releases the parachute, and thesustaining sheets 10, 11, 12 commence to open. The crinkled border 15,having the passages 17,

18 provides a conducting space for air to get into the fields of theparachute immediately, thus insuring their opening. As the number offolds is reduced for the same wing area the danger of failure to open iscorrespond ingly reduced.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a parachute which will openreliably and that danger to the aviator is thus greatly reduced. Aparachute of great sustaining wing; area with a minimum number of foldsis provided. lhe aviator is thus assured that in case of emergency theparachute will open.

'lhe invention upon which this application based is broader than thespecific embodimerits shown. and described for the purpose of innsrating at least some of the ways in which ray he employed. The scope ofthe invention is there-iota to understood as not hehy the presentspecific description, I intend no limitations other than those imposedby the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A parachute having a plurality of relativelydifferently sizedsustaining sheets, and an operators seat supported by the conjointaction of said sheets, each sheet having a fluted border to expedite theentry oi air into the folds of said sheets. P

2. A parachute having a plurality of su pet-posed sustaining membershavin folds in register so that the lowermost mem er is enfolded withinthe upper member or members when folded, the edges of said members beingrelatively stiff and fluted to maintain conducting passages into thefolds.

3. A parachute having a plurality of superposed sustaining membershaving folds in register so that the lowermost member is enfolded withinthe upper member or members when folded, the edges of said membershaving binding tape crinkled to form air pas sages.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this8 day of August A. D. 1927.

7 JENNINGS DE WITT.

